The male supporting character was actually myself.

He walked straight ahead past the civil and military officials, ascended the steps, and stopped at the specially designated spot just two steps from the majestic dragon throne in the Golden Palace. Only then did he look at the assembled officials.

"Long live the Regent! Long live the Regent!"

All the civil and military officials bowed in unison.

"Everyone, please rise."

There was a rustling sound of robes being adjusted, and then the civil and military officials stood up straight and began to submit their memorials as usual.

"Wow! This is awesome!" The fluffy little thing jumped onto the dragon throne with shining eyes and touched it, not quite figuring out if it was pure gold. But the dragon throne was indeed spacious and grand, and it lay down, rolled around, and frolicked around. "Host, this identity is so exciting! You're really no different from the emperor!"

What was that puppet emperor really like?

How about we stage a coup?

Jiang Chen gave it a look that said, "You'll have to figure it out yourself," and continued listening to the government news.

After the urgent response process was over, the young eunuch collected the memorials and handed them over, which he then carefully reviewed and approved one by one.

Only after all the memorials had been reviewed did Jiang Chen get up and signal the little eunuch to carry a pile of memorials to the main hall behind the Golden Palace.

"Give me the memorial, you may leave." When he reached the entrance of the main hall, he saw that the door was tightly closed and a wooden sign hanging above it read "No Unauthorized Persons Allowed." He sighed, took the memorial, and pushed the door open to go inside.

The hall was quiet. With the keen hearing unique to experts, Jiang Chen could tell that His Majesty the Emperor was once again engrossed in his woodworking.

"Kahahahahah!"

"puff!"

Dressed in simple white casual clothes, with only a jade hairpin casually holding his hair in place, the young emperor, who was about the same age as Jiang Chen, sat on a cushion with a knife in his hand, carefully carving on a piece of wood about the size of a thumb. He would only raise his head slightly when he occasionally blew away a few wood shavings, revealing his handsome face.

"Your Majesty, the court session has ended. Today's memorials..." Jiang Chen stepped forward and bowed, but before he could finish speaking, the emperor waved his hand to interrupt him, "I don't care. You are the regent. Just finish reviewing the memorials."

"Come and see what I think of this little boat I carved!"

Little white cat: (⊙x⊙;)

Meow meow meow? What's wrong with His Majesty the Emperor?

Why indulge in carving regardless of political affairs?

In the later part of the story, when the male protagonist schemed and sowed discord, how could His Majesty still be able to sideline the regent?

Isn't that contradictory?

"His Majesty carved this..." Jiang Chen leaned over to take a look and shook his head, saying, "It's not very good."

The emperor threw down his carving knife and sighed, "Minister Shen, you are the only one in the world who dares to speak the truth so directly."

"That's why Your Majesty put me out here as a ghostwriter, because I am loyal and dare to speak the truth."

"Is there anything special you need to report?"

"Two things. First: The Yong'an Kingdom's border army has repeatedly probed their defenses, and it seems they are eager to start a war; "

Second: The chief spy sent by the Yong'an Imperial City Guard, using the alias Young Master Yu, has already gained fame in the capital and made connections with powerful figures; various prefectures have all had dealings with him. Yesterday, he even sent an invitation to my younger sister; a poetry gathering will be held today at the Orchid Garden.

I've heard that all the famous scholars and beautiful ladies of Kyoto will be there; it's truly a grand event.

"Oh? Is that so?" The emperor stood up, his casual attire making him look like a handsome young man next door compared to his formal official robes. His eyes gleamed as he pressed, "Did your sister attend the poetry gathering? What do you plan to do with her? Arrest her and kill her?"

Jiang Chen smiled and shook his head, saying, "Only Your Majesty and I know that Young Master Yu is a spy from an enemy country. He is unaware that he has already given himself away and still wants to obtain military intelligence by contacting my younger sister."

Your Majesty, I have three plans for your consideration.

First, we must avoid war between the two countries. After all, our country has a vast territory, but in recent years, natural disasters have occurred frequently, and the national treasury is not abundant. We urgently need to recuperate and rebuild.

However, the enemy nation is stirring up trouble and has even dispatched its top spy chief to try and perfect the Kyoto spy network in order to gather military intelligence and win the war of aggression. As long as war can be avoided, Young Master Yu will have no use and can be disposed of as he pleases;

Secondly, since war between the two countries is inevitable, I will use my younger sister as a channel to send false intelligence to the enemy country, and in this way, I will turn the tables and defeat Yong'an Kingdom to the point of utter destruction!

Thirdly, still focusing on my younger sister, I will help her persuade Young Master Yu to defect and become a spy for my Southern Qi.

“Avoiding war is naturally the best option.” The emperor pondered for a moment with his hands behind his back, then picked up his teacup, took a sip of tea, and shook his head, saying, “Unfortunately, our country is not strong enough, and we cannot control whether Yong’an Kingdom launches a war.”

"Does Minister Shen have a foolproof plan?"

Jiang Chen was just waiting for him to say that. He shook his cloak, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, please take charge of the government. I am willing to travel thousands of miles to the capital of Yong'an Kingdom to take the head of the emperor. A country without a ruler will surely be in chaos!"

At that time, the nine princes will be vying for the throne; there will be no time for internal strife, let alone a war.

"Pfft!" The emperor spat out a mouthful of tea, his lips twitching as he looked at him with a mixture of anger and amusement. "Shen Jiangchen, are you kidding me?"

Or have you suddenly gone mad?

"You even went on a thousand-mile raid, and even had the king take Emperor An's head. Have you become too arrogant after being the Ninth Prince for so long?"

The fluffy ball slowly licked its paws and retorted, "Handsome Emperor, you're wrong! That enemy emperor isn't the main character. My host can really kill him. It's just a matter of using a prop, not difficult at all!"

“Since I have spoken, I will absolutely do it.” Jiang Chen bowed again and said solemnly, “I beg Your Majesty to assume personal rule. I will certainly retrieve Emperor An’s head and bring five years of peace to the borders of Southern Qi!”

"you……"

The emperor was so angry that he put down his teacup and pointed at him, his fair and slender fingers trembling. “I think you’re still asleep. Go home and get some sleep before you come back to report to me!”

"You can deal with that Yong'an spy as you see fit. As long as the enemy doesn't succeed, you can kill him, instigate him, or do whatever you want!"

After pausing for a moment, seeing that the Regent still hadn't made a move, he said impatiently, "Do you know what you just said? A thousand-mile raid... You won't even make it to the capital of Yong'an before you're shot to death by the Imperial City Guard's iron cavalry!"

If you don't want to live anymore, just say so. I'll punish you with two years of hard labor, and you'll naturally understand.

Tell me, was it easy for me to raise a regent like you?

What do you think about all day long?

Just sit in the palace reviewing memorials and chatting with me, and I'll guarantee you immense power and prestige for a hundred years. Isn't that a good life?

If we insist on fighting and killing, who will review my memorials if you die?

Is there anything else?

Go home and rest if you have nothing to do! Don't go around bullying others, indulging in extravagance and debauchery, or kidnapping innocent women—do things befitting an arrogant and powerful minister like yourself!

Chapter Five: The Distinction Between Ruler and Subject

"Your Majesty, if we overdo it, we'll be noticed." Jiang Chen maintained his bowing posture.

The emperor was puzzled and waved his hand impatiently, saying, "No need for formalities, no need for formalities. Why are you becoming more and more rigid? Didn't I tell you to be more arrogant? You don't need to bow to me in public, and you certainly don't need to in private."

"There is a distinction between ruler and subject. Acting in public is out of necessity; being respectful in private is the proper way for a subject."

"Given the relationship between us, how could it have come to this?"

The fluffy dumpling couldn't help but scoff at him, "You're just being hypocritical, all talk and no action!"

On the surface, they say that Minister Shen doesn't need to bow, but what's the reality? I read the script very carefully this time. Later on, the male lead gets into the court by being a kept man and then causes trouble and sows discord. You're only dissatisfied because the Regent doesn't bow!

After a rift develops, the male protagonist uses a series of clever schemes to rescue prisoners of his own country, ultimately framing the regent and even undermining his power!

The emperor stepped forward, supporting his arm as if to help him up. "Let's prepare for the second option."

A major war was inevitable, but assassinating Emperor An was far too difficult.

Yong'an is a nation founded on military strength, and those barbarians are masters of fighting and killing. Furthermore, our national treasury is not abundant; a war between the two countries would likely not be advantageous for us.

"Your younger sister will inevitably have to feign friendship with spies and pass on false information. Rest assured, my dear minister, if this tarnishes your eldest daughter's reputation, I will certainly give her an explanation!"

Jiang Chen stared at the other party and said seriously, "If Your Majesty is not at ease with me going to assassinate him, there is no need to give up completely. I have reported before that many assassins were secretly sent into Yong'an Kingdom when the infiltration plan was carried out, and one of them is currently in the palace."

If it is activated, it may still be possible to kill Emperor An in one fell swoop.

"Once he dies and his nine sons seize the throne, the borders of my Southern Qi will naturally be secure. Today, upon returning home, I will earnestly inquire about my younger sister's experiences at the Orchid Garden. If Young Master Yu is so keen on befriending her, why not go with the flow and try the third plan: a honey trap to turn the Imperial City Guard's spies against us and bring them to the aid of Southern Qi!"

emperor:……

"An assassination would be excellent, and if you are confident, you are welcome to give it a try." He frowned slightly and pondered, "I naturally remember the plan to infiltrate assassins, but... is it possible to have spies infiltrate the enemy's palace?"

Given the Imperial City Guard's cautious nature, this is extremely difficult!

Jiang Chen, who didn't even blush when lying, nodded and replied: "Heaven blesses our Southern Qi. Among the lurking assassins, there was a young girl who was tricked into becoming a disaster victim by human traffickers and sold into a wealthy family as a maid. Later, she had a chance to act cleverly at a banquet and was noticed by the prime minister's concubine who was attending the banquet. After several twists and turns, she infiltrated the prime minister's wife's side as a maid."

A year ago, when the Prime Minister's wife visited her cousin, Consort Qi, in the Emperor An's harem, she was chosen to stay in the palace.

Now that Emperor An frequently stays overnight at Consort Qi's residence, it wouldn't be too difficult to seize the opportune moment to make a move.

"Well, it's true that selecting a maid from my cousin's household to serve in the palace wouldn't be subject to strict investigation."

The emperor listened carefully to his words and found no loopholes. He continued to press, "Emperor An is surrounded by many skilled warriors, so he wouldn't be constantly by the side when he goes to bed with his concubines. However, he is highly skilled in weaponry, so it would probably be difficult for a mere palace maid to make a move."

"What does my minister intend for her to do to ensure absolute success?"

"I once spent a lot of money to purchase a pill-making fragrance personally refined by the Grandmaster of Alchemy, Changfeng. The medicine itself is not poisonous, but even a Grandmaster will fall into a drowsy state after smelling the burning fragrance."

Furthermore, the gold-wrapped silk, personally forged by the grandmaster weapon refiner Ouyang Che, makes it easy to conceal and cut through iron like mud, making it effortless to take a person's head!

The emperor put down his teacup, looking at the other person with an incredulous expression. "If what you're saying is true, it seems like Emperor An is doomed. Is regicide really that simple?"

“It’s not foolproof, but it’s worth a try.” Jiang Chen smiled confidently. “If Your Majesty allows me to travel thousands of miles, I am absolutely confident that I can retrieve Emperor An’s head.”

He rolled his eyes helplessly. "Forget about it, absolutely not! Do you really think the Imperial City Guard is just sitting around doing nothing? If anything happens to you, I won't be able to live anymore!"

It would be best to try to kill that damned emperor, but you can deal with the likes of Young Master Yu as you see fit.

If we can't kill them, we'll have to prepare for war.

When the national treasury is strained and the people suffer, the common people will likely face even greater hardship…

"Your Majesty, please do not worry. Your subject will certainly do his duty to the country and prevent the enemy from waging war with malicious intent!"

“My dear Minister Shen, I really couldn’t live without you.”

Even if it's for my sake, please take good care of yourself and don't put yourself in any danger. Remember to bring plenty of men with you when you go out, and don't hold back on using your personal guards when necessary.

As for arranging the assassination, calculate the value of the pills and weapons used and ask the Vice Minister of Revenue for the money.

"If there's nothing else, go back and rest. I still need to figure out how to carve an exquisite wooden boat."

"Your subject takes his leave!" Jiang Chen accepted the order and left the main hall.

The fluffy dumpling was completely bewildered and hurriedly asked, "Host, what's going on with this emperor? Is he pretending to be neglecting his duties? Why would he create a Nine Thousand Years Old and portray himself as a cowardly puppet? Is that meaningful?"

"His Majesty the Emperor is easygoing and does not like to get up early for court."

He was not a puppet; rather, it was the Regent Prince, whom he had carefully selected and cultivated, to be used as a figurehead to attract attention.

Didn't you hear him talking about the Imperial Guard just now?